March 25, 2021 – Pandemic Action Network warmly welcomes the bipartisan advancement of a key global health security bill by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee today. The Global Health Security Act of 2021 is an important step forward to accelerate and deepen U.S. global leadership in pandemic preparedness and response, and draws on lessons learned from COVID-19 to strengthen and invest in global efforts to detect, prevent, and respond to emerging pandemic threats that will keep America and the world healthier, safer, and more secure.

The Global Health Security Act of 2021 (HR 391) legislates the U.S. commitment to, and leadership in, the Global Health Security Agenda, a partnership of 70 countries working to secure global health security. In addition to elevating and improving U.S. prioritization and coordination of global health security efforts, the bill also instructs the Administration to work with other donor nations and multilateral stakeholders to establish a new Fund for Global Health Security and Pandemic Preparedness, which will leverage public and private financing to rapidly accelerate pandemic preparedness in lower-income countries. The Fund echoes calls from the Pandemic Action Network and partners as well as the language included in the recent National Security Memorandum from the White House to stand up an enduring, catalytic international financing mechanism to help countries close critical gaps in their preparedness for potential pandemics and incentivize sustainable domestic public and private sector investments in global health security. The Network calls  on the President and Congress to commit at least $2 billion to jumpstart the Fund this year.

Pandemic Action Network Co-Founder Carolyn Reynolds said, “Pandemic Action Network applauds the strong bipartisan cooperation in the House Foreign Affairs Committee to advance the Global Health Security Act, demonstrating the urgent imperative for U.S. global leadership to make the world safer from pandemic threats. Chronic underinvestment in public health systems and pandemic preparedness has been a major factor in the inadequate control of COVID-19 around the world, and that neglect must stop once and for all.  The bipartisan support for this bill underscores that health security is not a partisan issue, but it is the smart, strategic, and right thing to do—for America and the world.  

“We thank House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Meeks, Ranking Member McCaul, and Representatives Connolly and Chabot for their leadership and strong commitment to heed the lessons learned from COVID-19 and help ensure that America engages with the world in preventing another deadly, costly pandemic from happening again. We urge the entire House to approve this critical health security bill without delay.”